This invention is directed toward movement of articles into and out of blow molds and more particularly to process and apparatus improvements to facilitate efficient blow mold loading and discharging.
As set forth, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,915, it is known to position previously formed workpieces within blow mold sections for further shaping into finished articles. As set forth in commonly owned, copending application Ser. No. 558,841, filed 3/17/75, it is likewise known to hold such workpieces in waiting adjacent the blow mold in which it is to be remolded in order that it be available immediately on mold opening, thereby improving the system efficiency in comparison with others wherein the workpieces are charged to the mold from a prior upstream processing station in which it may have been formed or treated in some manner. In such latter high throughput systems utilizing moving molds, if the time required to deposit the workpiece in the open mold moving by the upstream station is greater than the interval necessary for the mold to pass by such station, the mold cannot be charged with the workpiece unless the system and its corresponding rate are undesirably slowed or the number of mold stations are uneconomically increased to offset such slowing of the system.